A Winning Heart
by MG12CSI16
Summary: Maybe she could make him see all that he had done, and just maybe he would see that it had been enough. Sequel to A Losing Game.


A sequel to A Losing Game. This story is for _youngnrestlessx, _who gave me this idea (and asked for a little Nick/Olivia.) I hope you like it! :)

I actually really enjoyed writing this and it made me realize how much I like this pairing.

Enjoy!

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**A Winning Heart**

She knew he would be there, it was the only logical place she could think of if he wasn't at home or sleeping in the cribs. Olivia pulled her coat tighter around her as the cold wind nipped at her skin, her feet weighed down by the heavy boots she was wearing. She looked down at all the tombstones that littered the ground, covered in the snow that was falling from the puffy grey clouds above the city.

Nick stood to her left, his eyes downcast on the ground below where a small marble stone sat, a pink rose resting on top. She could see tears making wet paths down his cheeks, his eyes red rimmed and puffy. Olivia drew in a breath before she cleared her throat, making Nick look up at her before dropping his gaze again.

"You here to check on me detective?" he asked, raising his voice above the wind and the sound of the nearby traffic, it was laced with a hint of irritation. Olivia bit back a retort and stepped forward, standing beside her partner and peering down at the stone in front of her. A pang of sadness struck her, making her sigh and look up at Nick once more.

"I'm sorry Nick." She finally said, hoping to get some kind of reaction. He hadn't been the same since Lilly died, he was quiet and withdrawn. He stopped smiling at her when she walked in the office, he never accepted her offers for breakfast anymore.

It angered her that he wasn't getting over it but then she would realize how stupid that sounded. She never considered herself hypocritical until now. She had never gotten over Elliott's departure and now she was blaming Nick for being unable to overcome a tragedy she knew he blamed himself for.

It was like her instincts had taken over when her hand reached out and grasped Nick's, his skin rough and warm against her own. This got his attention as his head snapped up and he shot her a look.

She felt herself blush and tried to pull away but he had a grip on her hand and he gave her fingers a squeeze. Olivia smiled and let out a relieved sigh, letting herself gravitate towards Nick, burrowing into the warmth of his body and letting his hand rest on the small of her back. Slowly they were coming undone and the tension seemed to ease drastically.

"You shouldn't be sorry Liv," his voice shattered the eerie silence and she closed her eyes as he spoke. "It wasn't your fault, you didn't let her die." he said bitterly. Olivia instantly drew back from the embrace and stepped in front of Nick, cupping his face in her hands as she gently ran her thumbs over his cheeks.

"Neither did you. You did everything you could to help that family and in the end it was their own ignorance that got Lilly killed." Nick opened his mouth to speak but Olivia placed a finger over his lips and went on.

"You did more for that little girl than anyone could have. You were there in the end, you made sure she got justice, and you're the one who's here now. You did everything you could Nick, you just have to accept the fact that it was enough."

Nick exhaled sharply and leaned his forehead against Olivia's, his brown eyes locking with hers. They let the moment settle over them, wrapped in each others embrace as their breath formed billowing clouds against the cold air. Carefully he let his lips brush against hers, gauging her reaction.

He heard her gasp before her mouth crashed into his and their lips hungrily moved against each others. He wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her flush against his body as her hands made fists in his hair.

When the need to breath trumped their desires they pulled back and gasped for breath. Nick brushed back a lock of Olivia's mocha hair and smiled into the crook of her neck.

"You really should get out of this weather detective." he whispered huskily in her ear. She suppressed a giggle and laced her ice cold fingers through his, staying pressed against his body while they walked to the car.

She felt safe with Nick, maybe because he was different from Elliot. There was a determination in him that seemingly lacked in her old partner. Elliot was all about the confession, the need to hear every word drip from a perps mouth before he considered the job done, he didn't need the physical evidence, he relied mainly on his gut. And that's what got him in trouble.

There was an sense of calm about Nick, he seemed to soothe her when he walked into the room. They shared their similarities too though, she could feel the tension between them just like she had with Elliot. And he was married, just like Elliot. That's when Olivia realized maybe, just maybe, she wasn't meant to be happy. And if she was the universe had a funny way of showing it.

She looked up at Nick, seated in the drivers seat and staring thoughtfully out the window. Finally Olivia couldn't take it and she broke the wall of silence that had quickly built between them.

"What about your wife?" she asked, so quietly she wasn't sure Nick had even heard her. She opened her mouth to say it again but Nick's voice cut through her words before she even spoke them.

"I left her. A while ago." Three words, spoken quickly and quietly had suddenly given Olivia everything. She was embarrassed when the tears pooled in her eyes and she gave Nick a watery smile. He looked alarmed and immediately grabbed her hand.

"What Liv? What's wrong?" She laughed and shook her head, meeting Nick's eyes as another tear escaped her own.

"Nothing. Everything's perfectly fine."


End file.
